On Dit - History

History

The newspaper began as a two-page broadsheet but within a few years quickly grew to four pages. The first editors were C.R. Badger (Arts), K.L. Litchfield (Law) and C.G. Kerr (Arts), who published the first edition on 15 April 1932. In its early years, On Dit focussed mainly on the activities and happenings of clubs and societies at the North Terrace campus of the University of Adelaide.

From the beginning, the newspaper attracted the ire of the university administration. Its very first editorial criticised certain regulations of the Barr Smith Library - criticism not well received at the time.

Interestingly, On Dit's editorial team in its fifth year of existence, Helen Wighton and Finlay Crisp, later married.

The paper ceased publication in 1941 due to World War II, but resumed again in 1944.

While the paper charged a low price to its readers in its first decades, it switched to free distribution in the 1960s and remains so to this day, supporting itself with advertising and funds from the AUU. In its early years it was an organ of the Student Representative Council, which later became the Students' Association of the University of Adelaide (a body which did not survive VSU, and therefore has today been replaced by the Adelaide University Student Representative Council). Today, On Dit is a publication of the Adelaide University Union.

During the 1950s and 1960s the paper attempted to resemble a professionally designed newspaper. This evolved into the Dynasty era during the 1970s and 1980s. During the latter period, the paper broke major stories. By this time, On Dit had developed a very good reputation both within the state and nationally . On Dit was considered an alternative vehicle to attending media schools for budding reporters. One problem many editors struggled with was encouraging submissions and news from University of Adelaide campuses other than the North Terrace site.

In 2006, Edition 10 (Sexuality) of On Dit was stolen. It contained an article by 'Pandora' which gave a view on the upcoming Adelaide University Union elections that was largely favourable to some candidates while disdainful towards others (in one instance likening the then Adelaide University Union President to Lord of the Rings character Gollum, and labelling him a 'neo-fascist'). Several editions survived. The one held by the Barr Smith Library is available to read online.

On Dit celebrated its 21st Anniversary in 1953, its 25th Anniversary in 1957, its 50th Anniversary in 1982, and in 2007 celebrated its Diamond or 75th Anniversary.